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January 4, 2023All are invited to take part in the special Mass, which was announced by Bishop O’Connell Dec. 31 shortly after the news broke of Pope Emeritus Benedict’s death. Priests across Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties have been encouraged to concelebrate. The Mass will also be livestreamed on diocesan media for those who cannot attend in person.
In a statement issued after the retired pope’s death, Bishop O’Connell recalled his visits with Benedict, particularly when then-Father O’Connell served as president of The Catholic University of America in Washington. He wrote:
I have many great and favorite memories of Cardinal Ratzinger and Pope Benedict XVI, beginning with my election as President of the Catholic University of America in 1998.
As Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, Cardinal Ratzinger was one of two prefects – the other being Cardinal Pio Laghi of the Congregation for Catholic Education – who was required to confirm my election. In the following 12 years, I was privileged to meet with him many times. I always found him warm, gracious, welcoming and very interested in CUA. He also demonstrated a good sense of humor!
In April 2008, Pope Benedict visited the campus of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to address US Catholic college and university presidents and superintendents of Catholic schools. As CUA President, I had the good fortune to welcome and introduce him before his talk.
In May 2010, Pope Benedict appointed me as coadjutor bishop of Trenton. The following year, as diocesan Bishop, I attended my first ad limina visit to the Vatican and met with him along with the other bishops of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. On a subsequent occasion, Pope Benedict spoke fondly of his visit to CUA.
Pope Benedict spent his entire life in various roles of service to the Catholic Church. He will be well remembered for many accomplishments and, no doubt, criticized for others. To the end, Pope Benedict XVI remained a faithful, long-suffering yet joyful witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. May he rest now in the eternal peace of the Lord he served so well and loved so very much.
Bishop O’Connell will offer further thoughts on Pope Emeritus Benedict in his homily on Jan. 5. To view the livestream, visit youtube.com/trentondiocese.
